I would suggest you have a large and decent meal the evening prior (so when you wake your Glycogen stores are nice and full)...along with plenty of water (you should need to get up at least once during the night to go for number one's)Then a reasonable breakfast cereal for breaky with plenty of carbs (oats or similar)...and more water/fluidsOn the ride I would take a muesli bar or banana (or both) and a large bottle of water (or two if you can, depending on weather conditions/how hard you're riding etc).

From what I have read, the idea is to make sure your body is fuelled up the night before and then topped up at breakfast time so your energy stores are at max levels.Then as you ride, every 30mins or so keep eating and drinking to continually replenish the fuel tank.On average, most people have about 90-120mins of energy stores and after that time if you havent replenished yourself then you'll know it (and feel it).

You could probably ride 50km's without refuelling along the way (as long as you have sufficiently filled your tank prior to the ride), but it is a good habit to get into and as the length of your rides get longer, your eating and drinking will be what keeps you going and stops you from bonking (hitting that energy wall - where you have none left).

The longer your rides are (and/or the more strenuous they are), the more food and drink you will need to take with you. How much you need you will find out after a few rides, as we are all different.

In the DVD "the science of triathlons" he gives some great info on the best foods to eat the night before and just before endurance events. Pasta/rice/bread is not as good as you may think.. sweet potato is a goodie

Rode my longest ride ever today, 155km. Didn't take enough food with me though (two musli bars and some sports drink), managed to survive until lunch where I had a massive plate of all-day breakfast and stocked up on chocolate bars which got me the rest of the way home. Next time I'll be taking more energy-dense food with me if I'll be doing a ride that long (with more than 2 vertical km :S).

AndrewBurns wrote:Rode my longest ride ever today, 155km. Didn't take enough food with me though (two musli bars and some sports drink), managed to survive until lunch where I had a massive plate of all-day breakfast and stocked up on chocolate bars which got me the rest of the way home. Next time I'll be taking more energy-dense food with me if I'll be doing a ride that long (with more than 2 vertical km :S).

Considering on your 155km ride you likely burnt well over twice your daily calorie intake its no surprise that a couple of muesli bars and a a sports drink weren't enough.

I've noticed even if I eat that little on an 80km ride I notice my energy levels waining....let alone twice the difference (though everyone is different I guess).

Great effort in any case. I look forward to getting a 150km ride into my legs before too long!

Most days I ride 45km to work (this is also my training ride, so usually with intervals), I do not consider I need to eat anything special, normal breakfast is a couple of pieces of raisin toast (r a bagel) with cream cheese (or a bagel I am americanized at breakfast), a glass of fruit juice & a short black. On days I feel extra hungry I eat a banana.

Before a race (also around 45km most weeks) and only a race, i stick to the David Millar fuelling principle of a Snickers (or similar bar) and a can of coke. Lots of sugary goodness with in readily converted into fuel.

For me, anything under 150km, I don't plan for or eat for, my body copes quiet well with a bidon of water (in winter, in summer bidon of water + bidon of sports drink often replenished) and a mid ride coffee and muffin, if available.

The night before a race, I make sure I have plenty of carbs, but in generally my diet is carb heavy.

Actually, you aren't supposed to eat in the hour before a session (preferably two), unless it's in the last 10 minutes before you head off. This is to avoid the mild hypoglycemia that accompanies the insulin spike from eating.

I can usually ride 60km without eating, just drinking a bidon /hr of electrolyte with a little cordial and salts.90-100k, I need a piece of fruit and/or muesli bar.100+km with hills, I have an extra 1-2 cups starch the night before, 3/4-1 cup of oats, and every hour I eat a piece of fruit or half a muesli bar or similar. Usually we stop for coffee during the ride, as there's usually hills and we're talking 4+ hours in the saddle.

As you do more 50+km rides, you'll up your glycogen stores, and get by without eating as much.

It's more important to start well hydrated and stay that way. Your body stores extra energy, but it doesn't store extra water.

when I go for my 10km runs during the week I do it straight from bed, a glass of water and thats it

for my usual saturday ride which is 62km I have 2 pieces of jam toast before I go plus water. I usually use about 1.5l of water during the ride but thats it.

When I do an 80km plus ride, especially when I include some climbing i have the toast before I leave but I ensure I have something to eat every 45 to 60 min, be that a gel, banana, sandwich or museli bar.

I have found that by following that routine I still have energy to complete 145km (furthest to date) and hopefully beyond (I have signed up for the 250km ABD)